Vending machine



July 12, 1932- J. H. MccoRMlcK ET AL 1,866,716

' VENDING MACHINE oiginal Filed Feb. le, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 1 July 12, 1932.

JQH. MccoRMlcK E'r AL 1,866,716

VNDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 16, 1929 4 Sheets--Sheei'I 2 ATTORNEYS .July 1.2, 1932' J. H. MccoRMlcK ET AL 1,866,716 I VXINDING MACHI NE original Filed Feb. 16, 1929 4 sheets-'sheet 5 ATTORN EYS.

July l2, 1932.4 H. MccoRMlcK ET Al. 866,716

VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 16, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 www uw ATTORNEYS.

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Patented July VA12, 19322 y UNITED *STATES .PATENT OFP-ics l JOHN H. MQCORMICK, CAELr G. ALLEN, AND VFRANK M. BENDER, OE WILLIAMsPOET,

PENNSYLVANIA, AssrGNons To VENDI CATEE, INC., OE wILLrAMsPOE'r, PENN- sYLVANrA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA VENDINC MACHINE Original applcatonklerd February` 16, 1929, Serial No. 340,462. Divided and this application filed August 27, 1929. seriai'nussssz.

This invention relates to vending machines and pertains more especially to a machine for vending bottled goods. Y

In the co-pending application of McCormick, et al. Ser. No. 340,462, filed February 16, 1929, of which this is a division, there is disclosed a machine for Vending bottled goods and having provision for redeeming empty bottles. The machine' is designed for operation by the use of a dime which permits access to a compartment containing the article to be vended. This bottle, when empty,

Vmay be presented to the redeeming device, the

operation of which will refund a nickel to the operator.

An object of this invention is a new and improved redeeming mechanism which will refund to the operator the proper coin upon the presentation to the mechanism of a bottle of predetermined size and shape.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

f Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a machine embodying the invention.V

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sections on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is asection on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line'7 -7 of Fig'. 3, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary views largely similar to Fig. 7 and showing different positions assumed by the various parts.

The machine comprises a cylindrical casing 10 which isV divided into an upper Vand a lower chamber by a partition 11, the upper chamber being provided with a removable cover-10a. In the lower chamber there is provided a shelfA 11a and a vertical hollow shaft 12 is suitably j ournaled in the shelf and partition and-projects slightly into the upper chamber. Y At its upper end this shaft 12 carries a circular plate 13 by which is supported an annular frame 14 which is 'made up of a plurality of superposed shelves 15 divided into compartments by radial partitions 15a. Clips 150 may beprovided in thecomextent.

partments to hold the bottles. frame 14 and supportedV by the plate 13 is provided a tank 16 to receive ice or within which may be provided any suitable refrigerating apparatus, the tank 16 havingV an outlet 17 leading to the hollow shaft 12. The shaft 12 is providedl with a drum 18 around which is wound a cable v19 which passes over within the' a pulley 20and is attached to a weight 21. i

The weight'21 and cable 19 are yeffective to cause rotation of the plate 13 when released, the plate normally being held-against rotation by means subsequently to be described. Y A lining 16a of heat 'insulating material is provided for the upper chamber.

As described in the` co-pending application of McCormick,'et al. Ser. No. 340,462,^flled Feb. 16, 1929., the bottle may be obtained by presentation to the machine of a dime. The

device hereinafter described` provides for redeeming 'the empty bottles and delivering va nickel for each bottle redeemed.

Inorder to obtain a refund for an emptyV bottle,'the bottle is placed in the carrier 65 which is normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. Y2. The operating handle 64 is then swung from the vposition shown in Fig. 2 through the position shownV in` full lines in Figs. 3 and 4 and to the'position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. The arm 69 is elfective to direct jthe bottle out of the carrier into the chute where it passes between the gauge plate 68 and the feelers 71 and 72. If kthebottle is ofthe proper size e.

and configuration., both feelers `71 and 72 are actuated. thereby pulling the lever 74 to the left (see Fig. 7 and with it the slider75.V

Contact of the` oblique surfaces 76 and 77 causes the b ar 78tokbe lifted to disengage the ejector 79, which under the' influence of Vthe spring 82 swings forward to eject the bottom coin of the pileof coins into the coin re- Y turn chute 81...:lf the bottle presented is of improper shape or size either the feeler 71 or the feeler 72 will not be operated its full y As a result the slide 75 will not be pulled to the leftgas Vfar as usualxwith the result'th atthe detent 78 will not bey sufficiently lifted to disengage it from the ejector 79,

so that there will be no ejection of a4 coin,-

78 and when the ejector passes beyond the detent 78 it will be returned to latching position by such spring. As soon as the bottle is fully pushed in, the feelers return to normal position. Should the carrier not Ybe rotated forwardly sufficiently to push the bottle past the feelers, the return movement of the carrier will cause the bottle to be engaged by the edge of the bottle recess thereby forcing the bottle past the feelers. I are gradually pushed by succeeding bottles along the shelf 84 until they reach theedge after which they drop into the receptacle 85. The lower compartment is provided with a door 10b through which the empty bottles may be removed or access be had to the compartment.

In the particular machine above described, adime is required to operate the lock releasingY means to permit access to the bottle of milk or the like in the compartment in register with the door. The refund mechanism is designed to pay` back to the customer a nickel for the return bottle. The machine may, however, be designed to be operated by and make refund of coins ofotherdenominations than these; The bottles used in the vending mechanism above described may be a.V standard"` typeV of bottle or may be a bottle particularly designed for the machine. A special design of bottle might be'l desirable as it would effectively prevent improper operation of the refunding mechanism. The character of use to which the machine isto be put will be largelyv determinative of whether a standard type or a. special type bottle will be used. vThe machine may be adapted with Vany type bottlesimply by proper adjustment of the feelersand the use of a proper gauge plate..

Means are provided to prevent operation ofthe carrier whenthe supply of nickels in the. coinl tube SOisexhausted. 'A lever 96 is pivoted to theshelf 84; and isprovided with a horn 97 which-is adaptedv Vto project into an aperture inthe bottle carrier 65 to lock the same against rotation. A; spring 98 normallyv holds the l'ever 96 in inoperative position. A weight 99 is slidably arranged in the coin tube and restsV upon the pile of' coins therein. This weightr is provided witha lug which projects through a slot in the coin tube and when the coins are exhaust`- ed engages the end of the lever 96 to swing the same into operative position whereby the horn 97. locks the carrier 65.A f

. It is of course understood that various structural modifications may be made inthe device above describedwithout in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as `defined inthe appended claims.

The redeemed ,bottles We claim:

l. In combination, a carrier for receiving and transferring bottles, a coin ejector, a spring for actuating said ejector to, deliver a coin, a detent'for said ejector, means 0perable by a bottle to effect release of said detent and means operable by said carrier for resetting said ejector. f

2. In combination, a carrier for= receiving and transferring bottles, a coin` ejector, a

Vspringufor actuating said ejector to deliver a com, a` detent for said ejector, means operav ble by a bottle to effect release of Ysaid detent, and means connecting said 'bottle carrier and ejector for resetting the latter by the former.

3. In combination, an oscillatory carrier for receivingand transferring.bottles,. an oscillatory coin ejector, a spring for, actuating said ejector to deliver a coin, adetentfor. said ejector, means actuatable by a bottle to re,- l'ease said detent, and means connecting'sa-id bottlecarrier and said ejector for. resetting thelatter by the former.

4. In combination, oscillatoryA bottle` re.- ceiving and transferring means,va spring ac,- tuated coin ejector, la detent for said ejector, means actuatable by va' bottle to release said detent from said ejector andv aveXible connection between. said detent' and. saidoscillatory bottle i receiving and transferring means. Y

5. In combination, a carrier'for'receiving and Vtransferring bottles, a chute, meansextending across the path of the carrierl for= dis,- charging a bottle from said carrier into said chute, a coin ejector, a detent forsaidV ejector, and means operable by a bottleentering said chute to render said detent inoperative;

6. In combination, a bottle carrierra chute, means extendingk across'the path of the carrier for "discharging a bottle from said carrier into said chute, a spring actuatedcoin ejector, a detent for said ejector, and-.means operable by abottle enteringV the chute for renderingsaid Vdetent inoperative.

7. In combination, a bottle carrier, achute, means extending across the path of said'carrier for discharging a bottle from saidzcarrier into saidchute, feeling mechanism'projecting into said chute an'doperable byva bottle entering said chute, a spring actuated coin ejector, a detent for said ejector, vand connections between said feeling mechanism and ejector for rendering said detent inoperative. Y

8. In combination, a bottle carrier, ya chute, means extending into thepath of said carrierfor Vdischanging the bottle from said-car.- rier into said chute, a spring actuated coin ejector, a detent for said ejector, and means extending into said chute and operableby a bottle detent.

9. In combination, a bottle carrier, a chute, means for discharging a bottle from said entering; said chute to releasesaid carrier into said chute, a pair of feelers slidably mounted in one wall of said chute, a

spring actuated coin ejector, a detent for said l ejector, and connections between said feelers and detent for actuating the latter by the former.

10. In'combination, a pair of feelers to engage the surface of a bottle, a slide differentially operated by said feelers, a coin ejector and a detent for said ejector, said detent being rendered inoperative by said slide.

11. In combination, a pair of feelers to engage the surface of a bottle, a slide, connections between the feelers and said slide for eiecting differential operation of the latter, a coin ejector and a detent for said ejector, said detent being rendered inoperative by said slide.

12. In combination, a pair of feelers to engage the surface of a bottle, a slide, connections between said feelers and said slide to effect differential operation of the latter,

a coin ejector, resilient means for operating the same, a detent for said ejector and connections between said detent and slide to render the latter inoperative upon predetermined movement of the former.

13. In combination, a pair of feelers to engage the surface of a bottle, a slide, connec. tions between said feelers and said slide to effect differential operation of the latter, a coin ejector, resilient means for operating the same, a slidable detent for said ejector, said detent and slide having contacting oblique surfaces whereby predetermined movement of the former is effective to render the latter inoperative.

14. In combination, a rotatable bottle carrier, a chute, means to effect transfer of a bottle from said carrier to said chute, a pair of feelers to engage the surface of a bottle passing through said chute, a slide, connections between said feelers and said slide to e'ect differential operation of the latter, a coin ejector, and a detent for said ejector, said detent being rendered inoperative by full movement of said slide.

15. In combination, a casing, means to receive empty bottles and transfer the same into the interior of said casing, a pair of feelers to engage the surface of the bottle while being transferred to the interior of the casing. a slide, connections between said feelers and slide to effect differential operation of the latter, a coin ejector, a detent for said ejector, said detent being rendered inoperative upon full movement of said slide.

16. In combination, a casing,'bottle receiving means operable to transfer an empty bottle within said casing, a pair of feelers for engaging the surface of the'bottle during transfer, a slide, connections between said feelers and slide for effecting differential operation of the latter, a spring actuated coin ejector and a detent for said ejector, said detent being operable to release Y said ejector upon the full movement of said slide.

17.' In combination, a bottle chute, means to receive empty bottles and deliver the same to said chut'e,1a pair of bottle Vfeelers mounted in one wall of said chute, a slide, connectionsbetween said feelers and said slide to effect differential operation of the latter, a spring actuated Coin ejector, and a .detent for said ejector, said detent being operable to reladse said ejector upon full movement of said s i e. f

18. In combination, a bottle carrier, feelers for engaging the surface of the bottle, a spring actuated coin ejector, a detent for said ejector, connections between said feelers and said detent for rendering said detent inoperative, and connections between said bottle carrier and ejector for re-setting the latter by the former. y

l19. In combination, bottle receiving and transferring means, a' pair of feelers forV engaging the surface of a bottle, a coin ejector, a detent therefor, and connections between said feelers and detent for effectingv differ-l f ential operation of the latter.

20. In combination, bottle receiving and transferring means, a pair of'feelers for engaging the surface of a bottle, a coin ejector, a detent therefor, connections'between said feelers and detent for effecting differential operation of the latter, and connections between said bottle receiving and transferring means and'said ejector for resetting the latter by the former.

21. In combination, bottle receiving and transferring means, a coin ejector, a detent therefor, a pair of feelers yfor engaging the surface of a bottle, a slide, andV connections between said feelers and slide for effecting differential operation of the latter, said detent being operable by said slide.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our namesV to this specification.

JOHN H. MGCORMICK. CARL Gr. ALLEN. FRANK M. BENDER.

Cia 

